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DEM #00-148 May 13, 2000 |
The Unit was contacted by the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management at 1:00 P.M. on Saturday the 13th of May. The King County Police had requested our assistance to help carry out two climbers who had been hit by an avalanche on Granite Mountain. In two unrelated accidents two male climbers had been hit. One of the climbers had broken both legs and the other had no external injuries but may have had some internal injuries. King County had called the Army MAST helicopter unit at Ft. Lewis to hoist both climbers out of the wilderness. However, in case the hoist operation could not be completed they needed Mountain Rescue volunteers to be prepared to carry the injured out on stretchers.
As this particular Saturday was our Unit training day, a number of members were on the Puyallup River practicing swift water rescue. When the page went out we were able to get fourteen members to respond: Jim Andrues, Chris Berryman, Victor Caro, Phil Fortier, Alan Givotovsky, Piro Kramer, Stan Kartes, John Kirkman, Fran Martoglio, Tony Obrien, Tom Miner, Jason Miner, Jeff Sharp and Joe Rusinko.
While some members at the Unit training had to go home to get their climbing gear (see, it pays to bring everything to Unit trainings). Others went direct to the search base at the Pratt Lake trailhead at exit 47 off Interstate 90. Upon arrival they were told that the helicopter had lowered their Medic and were preparing to lift the injured out. They stood by while the injured were hoisted to the helicopter and after it was confirmed that both men were en route to the hospital, the Unit was released and the ones who hadn't arrived were turned around by pager.
Tacoma Mountain Rescue |
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